When is a “Plate, Modified 1 x 1 with Clip Vertical” just a “clippy bit”?

With shared resources like Bricklink and Peeron, LEGO fans active on the Web today use fairly standard terminology for referring to individual LEGO elements. Whether you’re describing a building technique or drafting, shared language is a key to communication.

An interesting article by Giles Turnbull has been making the rounds among LEGO fans on the ‘net this past week. The article surveys four families who play with LEGO and how they talk about LEGO. In the absence of externally driven standards, it’s interesting to see how these families have developed their own LEGO language.

4 comments on “When is a “Plate, Modified 1 x 1 with Clip Vertical” just a “clippy bit”?”

You’d think for a hobby I’m this immersed in I’d learn the official terminology and color names but I’m just not that guy and it’s such a pain in the ass for Lego store employees. I’m constantly openning my mouth and saying things that prove me unfit to distribute my genetic material into the gene pool, like “I’m looking for flat bricks.. no not brick bricks, like 1-by-2 flats in brick, studless like a brick road tile.” Or “I just wish there were more girly pinks, I’m not picky, I’m just not finding a lot of variety in the girl pinks..” And “I need a ton of Pirate flame, the curvy one, not agent flame the little ones Yeah, little curvy flames..”